Knowing Home, Finding Love
by Yoshida Megumi
Summary: Zeta and Ro have a discussion about best friends.


Title: Knowing Home, Finding Love  
  
Rating: G  
  
Author: Yoshida Megumi  
  
Archive: Yes please. Just tell me before you do! (Trixxy_19@msn.com) ^_^  
  
Special Thanks: Thanks Aka-chan for beta-ing this thing! And RaRa-chan thanks for suffering through this thing during lunch and whenever else I made you read this fluffy happiness.  
  
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"Ro?" Zeta's innocent, often-childlike voice interrupted her thoughts.  
  
"Yeah Zee?" Rosalie Rowan flashed him a brilliant smile as she turned to give Zeta her full attention.  
  
"What's a best friend?"  
  
Ro's smile faltered for a moment as she thought about how she would answer that. Sometimes Zee's naiveté was challenging. "Well Zee, a best friend is someone who is always there for you. It doesn't matter what's happening, just as long as they could help you. They comfort you when you're sad and make good times even better because they're there. Best friends protect you and help you learn new things about yourself and others. And, not matter what, they always accept you and love you for all your differences." Ro smiled brightly again as she shifted to lay back down on the bed in the hotel room she and Zeta were sharing.  
  
Zeta thought it over for a while as he watched Ro drift off to sleep. "So that means that you are my best friend Ro." Zeta smiled and leaned back into the chair that sat across from Ro's bed. After another few moments of watching Ro, Zeta went into sleep mode.  
  
"And you're my best friend, Zee." Ro whispered before drifting back to sleep.  
  
Zeta woke to Ro's muffled screams. She was thrashing around in the bed. Zee stared, unsure of what to do. Ro had never done this before. What was wrong with her?  
  
"Zee." Ro whimpered.  
  
Zeta would have panicked had he been human, luckily he wasn't, so he didn't have to worry about too many of his emotions taking over. Instead, he calmly, well as calmly as a frantic but not panicking robot could, woke her up. "Ro? Ro wake up. It's me, Zeta." Zee shook her lightly. "Ro wake up."  
  
Rosalie let out another scream as her eyes shot open and she pulled away from Zeta. "Zee?"  
  
Ro's voice was soft, barely audible. He was glad he had such sensitive sound receptors. "I'm right here, Ro." Zee had never seen this side of Ro before. She was always tough and sarcastic. He'd never seen her look so terrified and helpless.  
  
"Zee!" She tossed herself into the synthoid's arms as she began to cry.  
  
Zeta did the only thing that he could. He held her tightly and let her cry. He'd ask later why she was so upset, and he would do his best to fix whatever it was that was wrong. After all, that's what best friends were for, right?  
  
After a few minutes of crying, Ro seemed to realize what she was doing and quickly let Zeta go. "Sorry Zee." Ro's voice had returned to its usual pitch.  
  
"You do not have to apologize, Ro." Zeta smiled reassuringly at her. "If there is something that I can do to help – "  
  
"No, Zee. I'm fine. Just a bad dream." Ro smiled. "But if you really want to make me feel better, you could always take me shopping. I'm almost positive that we passed a mall on the way to the hotel yesterday. It would only take a few minutes to find. What do you think, Zee?"  
  
"Of course Ro. If that is what you want." I would do anything for you, he added silently.  
  
Ro sighed. For once, shopping didn't hold its normal appeal. She just wanted to go back to sleep and not have nightmare. "Fat chance…" Ro mumbles as she forced herself out of bed. She was not going to worry Zee. He already had enough to deal with.  
  
Zeta watched Ro with a critical eye. She looked exhausted. He thought about it for a while and realized that she hadn't been getting much sleep lately. Between running from the NSA and the nightmares, it seemed as though she was awake more often then Zeta.  
  
Ro tottered on her feet before gaining her equilibrium. She could already tell it was going to be a long day.  
  
"Ro, if you're still tired you should go back to sleep. We can shop later." Zee smiled and Ro sighed.  
  
She didn't want to break down, but he was so cute. With his concerned blue eyes placed on her, she sighed again. "Come on Zee. Mall? Shopping? Unlimited creds? Remember?"  
  
Even her voice sound tired, Zeta thought. "We could do something else today Ro. This city has over 30 different museums and 10 botanical gardens. It is home to two wildlife preserves and a national park. It also is has a zoo, which is home to over 150 varieties of foreign animals." Zeta paused. "We could have a picnic…and visit the animals."  
  
He looked so sweet and innocent; the scene made her heart flutter. How could she possibly say no? Didn't he know how much control he had over her? She wouldn't be able to bare it if she made him unhappy. She smiled and then flew into Zee's arms. She looked up into Zee's eyes as she spoke. "Sounds like a plan to me, Zee."  
  
Zee beamed as he wrapped his arms around Ro, finishing of the hug. It felt good to hold her. It felt right.  
  
They both stood there, wrapped in the other's arms, basking in the love and affection offered. For Ro, it was knowing home. For Zee, it was finding love.  
  
The only problem with the fairy tale ending? Zeta wasn't sure how to tell Ro, or even if he should. What would she think? Would she believe him? Did she feel the same way? What would happen after he told her, if he told her? He couldn't stand the thought of rejection. What would he do without Ro? He would be completely lost without her.  
  
Ro was having a similar conflict. She knew she loved Zee. She had for a long time. She just didn't know if he would understand the concept of love. He hadn't ever asked specifically about it. A few questions here and there, but nothing that would indicate him even knowing love existed. She couldn't bare the thought of him not returning the feeling. It would be worse then holding it inside forever. At least this way, she could pretend that the way Zee's eyes watched her meant something more then it did and that they're hugs meant something more then friendship. She would have lost her hopes and dreams. But for one fleeting moment, she thought that it might be worth it, to tell Zee exactly what she felt, just to let it out on the off chance that he would return the emotion.  
  
Then reality kicked in. It was probably the stupidest thing she'd ever thought. But, it was still the greatest feeling in the world to be able to stand in Zee's arms. Ro smiled and hugged Zeta a little tighter. She'd take what she could, while she could.  
  
Zeta would have sighed if he hadn't known it would upset Ro. She would take it the wrong way. She'd think he didn't want to be with her. How very wrong she would be. He couldn't imagine being far away from her, not being able to watch her sleep, not being able to hold her, or to see her smile. He'd be lost with out her.  
  
"I love you."  
  
Ro backed out of the embrace, wide-eyed, to stare at Zee. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She tried again. "What?"  
  
Well, that wasn't exactly the response he'd been hoping for, but maybe she really hadn't heard him. Zeta smiled weakly. "I said, I love you, Ro." Zee watched as Ro looked him straight in the eye and then turned around completely and searched the room with her eyes.  
  
Nope, nobody else in here. Is this some kind of practical joke? No, this is Zee here. He doesn't even know what a practical joke is, let alone how to pull on off, so that means that he's…"Serious?" Ro turned back around to stare at Zee again.  
  
He wasn't sure what to make of that. He wasn't sure how that I love you had gotten out of his mouth either. This was not going as he had planned. Not that he had really planned to say that. He really wished she would stop staring at him like that. It was making him uncomfortable.  
  
"I'm –"  
  
Ro threw herself at the unsuspecting synthoid, knocking both of them into the wall behind Zeta. She locked her hands behind his neck and just smiled at him for a moment. "I love you too, Zee."  
  
"Ro you know that I –"  
  
"Shut up and kiss me, Tin Man." Ro smiled, a gleam in her eye as she pulled Zeta's face down to hers.  
  
  
  
-End- 


End file.
